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The Henderson Method 
of Public Speaking 

By Alfred E. Henderson 

'President of the Henderson School of Oratory 
zAeoiian Hail, New York 



IN TEN LESSONS 




THE PERSONALITY PRESS 

2575 Broadway :: :: New York City 






The Henderson Method 
of Public Speaking 

By Alfred E. Henderson 

'President of the Henderson School of Oratory 
<Aeoiian Hall. New York 



IN TEN LESSONS 




THE PERSONALITY PRESS 

2575 Broadway :: :: New York City 



"PN4 
H^4 



Copyright, 1921 

By Henderson School of Oratory 

New York 

GIFT 
HRS. S. A .THOMPSON 
SEPT 37. 1940 



fi 



oreypord 



Ask the average man to address an audience — and he is lost. 

As an individual he may be a very convincing talker, but 
when he arises to address an audience he falters, becomes 
self-conscious, and generally forgets everything he wanted 
to say. 

Most people would like to get some practical help in public 
speaking. They dont care to become orators, but they do 
want to develop self-confidence and the ability to talk con- 
vincingly. 

I have tried in this series of lessons to furnish such help. 
During my twenty years' teaching and platform experience, 
I have had an opportunity to closely observe the common 
errors most people make and to perfect methods for over- 
coming such errors. These methods are clearly set out in 
the following lessons. I have purposely made the lessons as 
concise as possible, realizing the tediousness of detailed in- 
structions and exercises, and the little time the average man 
or ivoman has for such study. But I have omitted nothing 
of a vital nature, and these suggestions, if conscientiously 
followed, cannot fail to improve immeasurably your ability 
to speak. 

Few people inherit the ability to speak gracefully and con- 
vincingly. It is nearly always acquired by hard work and 
constant striving. No talent, however, can be of greater prac- 
tical value, for we are judged almost wholly by what we say 
and how we say it. Take up the lessons with this thought in 
mind. Remember the reward well justifies your efforts and 
pains. 

ALFRED E. HENDERSON. 

New York City. 



The Henderson Method 

of Public Speaking 

By Alfred E. Henderson 



LESSON I 

"The Vocabulary" 

"Whatever may be the thing which one wishes to 
say, there is but one word for expressing it, only one 
verb to animate it, only one adjective to qualify it. 
It is essential to search for this word, for this verb, 
for this adjective, until it is discovered, and to be 
satisfied with nothing else'' 

— Gustave Flaubert. 



If you are to speak in public, the first requisite is a vocab- 
ulary much larger than the average. This will be your great- 
est asset, for no matter how fine a personality you may possess ; 
regardless of the naturalness of your gestures ; in spite of 
your knowledge of the subject, if your stock of words is not 
large, you will fail miserably in holding an audience. With- 
out a number of synonyms at your tongue's tip, you will be 
guilty of the rhetorical crime of repetition ; your word-pictures 
will lack color and life ; and you will be unable to drive home 
the point you wish to make. 

The average layman communicates with his fellow-man 
through the medium of a vocabulary of from three to four 
hundred words. True, he has a reading and listening knowl- 
edge of perhaps two or three thousand, but they are not his 
words, for he never uses them in his own conversation. In 
his vocabulary there is a sad shortage of adjectives. He has 
one or two that he likes particularly well and uses at every 
opportunity, and perhaps a dozen or more that are his when 
it is impossible to use either of his pet descriptive words. 



The Henderson Method of Public Speaking 

"But," you say, "I never could learn and retain, thousands 
of words, with their differences of meaning, pronunciation 
and use." If you have average intelligence you can. Remem- 
ber that William Shakespeare wrote with a vocabulary of 
more than 20,000 words, and among our present day writers, 
the late Elbert Hubbard boasted a stock of almost 10,000. 

PROVIDE YOURSELF WITH TOOLS 

First, you must make up your mind that you will enlarge 
your use of the English language; then, buy a good English 
Dictionary and Roget's Thesaurus of English Words and 
Phrases, and obtain a set or the use of books containing great 
orations. They will help you to familiarize yourself with va- 
rious types of speeches. With these books as your tools, make 
it a point to learn at least four new words every day. Look 
up the meaning of these words, their pronunciation and in 
Roget's Thesaurus find synonyms and antonyms. Seize upon 
the first opportunity you have, to use them in conversation, 
even twisting the conversation into the right channels to do it, 
if necessary. Remember, these words are not yours by right 
of conquest, until they are yours by right of use. Until you 
have used them naturally in a sentence, three or four times, 
they are only words that you know about, not part of your 
vocabulary. 

If you make it a point of learning four new words every 
day and use them, do not for one moment imagine that at the 
expiration of thirty days you will possess an addition to your 
vocabulary of one hundred and twenty words. Unless you 
are a mental prodigy, many of these new words will be for- 
gotten for the time being. Perhaps you will find yourself 
unable to retain more than fifty percent of the words you 
learn each day, but with only this percentage retained, at 
the end of a year you will have enlarged your vocabulary 
by more than seven hundred words. 

HOW TO ACQUIRE NEW WORDS 

In acquiring these v/ords I would advise you to follow the 
method most convenient and entertaining to you. Don't sit 
down gloomily with a copy of the dictionary and begin by 
learning that "aal is a red dye, obtained from the root of 

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The Henderson Method of Public Speaking 

an East Indian shrub." While that fact is doubtless quite 
interesting, you are probably not particularly interested in dye- 
stuffs at that moment. The dictionary is an excellent tool 
with which to work, but as a narrative it changes the subject 
too often. 

While it is not my province to recommend one magazine 
more than another, I do suggest that you subscribe to some 
good periodical of current events in the world's history, also 
the best magazine devoted to the special interests of your 
business or profession. Read the articles carefully, not as 
the average person reads, skimming over the paragraphs 
merely to gather the meaning. Digest each statement and ask 
yourself if there is anything in the sentence not quite clear 
to you. If there is, take another look at the word, the mean- 
ing of which is a little hazy. When you have found it, look 
that word up in the dictionary and Roget's Thesaurus and 
make it yours. 

PRACTICE SPEAKING AT ONCE 
When you have finished reading an article in your maga- 
zine, one of the best methods of practice for future speaking, 
and one that I have found of the greatest success, in my 
twenty years of teaching, is to lock yourself in a room, lay 
the article aside and imagine for the moment that the chairs 
and table and other objects in the room are your audience 
waiting to hear a short address on the subject, about which 
you have just been reading. Recall as much of the article 
as you can, telling your phlegmatic audience the points that 
interested you and throughout striving to be interesting. 
Above all, take pains to use the words you found not clear 
until you looked in the dictionary. 

THE WELL INFORMED MAN THE BEST SPEAKER 
The acquisition of a vocabulary of good working propor- 
tions is not difficult and can be made extremely interesting 
if you follow these suggestions, for you will not only be 
enlarging the number of words, waiting on the tip of your 
tongue to be used, but you will be adding to your fund of 
general information, which will be of incalculable assistance 
to you later, when you deliver impromptu speeches. 

When you have made the acquisition of new words each 

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The Henderson Method of Public Speaking 

day a part of your daily life, you will have taken the first 
great stride toward making a speech; you will have made the 
first move in a series of moves that are to lift you from the 
mediocre, commonplace man, to the interesting speaker, who 
always has something to say and knows how to say it, 
whether from the public platform, at the dinner table, or in 
business. 

SUMMARY OF LESSON I. 
"The Vocabulary" 

i. Add a few words each day by the method most pleasant 
to you. 

2. Use these words in conversation until they are yours 
"by right of use." 

3. Read and carefully digest, articles in periodicals of cur- 
rent events, that are of recognized quality. 

4. Begin AT ONCE to practice making short speeches 
without an audience. 

5. Books and Periodicals suggested. 



The Henderson Method of Public Speaking 

LESSON II. 
"The Voice and Articulation" 



"Speak the speech, I pray you, as I pronounced 
it to you, trippingly on the tongue. But if you mouth 
it, as many of your players do, I had as lief the town 
crier spoke my lines." 

— Shakespeare. 



The development of a good, speaking voice depends more 
upon the WILL, than upon anatomical construction. Your 
lungs, your larnyx, your nasal passages, tongue, throat and 
diaphragm are there, and there to stay, but by proper exer- 
cise they can be developed and made to perform the real 
functions for which they were intended by nature. 

But first, you must WILL a good speaking voice ; you must 
develop self-confidence (not self-esteem) and then by per- 
sistent daily exercising of your public speaking apparatus, you 
will gradually reach forth to grasp the vehicle that is to carry 
to your audience your thoughts and ideas, a vigorous, 
flexible and convincing voice. 

ARTICULATION 

But do not imagine that by the acquisition of the proper 
voice of depth, resonance and power, you have at hand the 
necessary sound producing mechanism for delivering your 
speech. With only a deep and harmonious voice you are 
equipped but little better than a deep-toned factory whistle. 
You must use this voice to ARTICULATE clearly, or you 
will do little more than boom forth a myriad of more or 
less musical sounds. Perhaps you are possessed of a clear 
and distinct articulation that is natural. Then you are indeed 
lucky, for most people are not so equipped. Many speakers, 
who know their subject, who speak eloquently and earnestly, 
who gesticulate naturally and stand gracefully and easily be- 
fore an audience, fall far short of being successful because 
they are indistinct of utterance. 

Sometimes this faulty articulation is due to over-enthusiasm 
and earnestness; in a very few cases, to a malformation of 
the organs of speech. The speaker is often carried away with 



The Henderson Method of Public Speaking 

his subject and forgetting himself, plunges precipitately for- 
ward, heedless of the fact that he is slurring syllables, ignoring 
proper pauses and failing to bite out his words crisply and 
clearly. 

It must be remembered that in public speaking a slight 
exaggeration of enunciation is an absolute necessity in ad- 
dressing a large audience. The words and their subdivisions, 
the syllables, must be more clearly separated than in convers- 
ing with a few persons in a room. 

One of the many points of difference between man and the 
gorilla, is the fact that while the gorilla roars and beats his 
breast, man has been given, through centuries of develop- 
ment and culture, a fine and nicely adjusted articulation 
apparatus, with which he can produce more varieties of sound 
and gradations of tone than the gorilla ever dreamed of, or 
would have use for. Many public speakers seem to forget 
this as soon as they stand before an audience and at once 
begin roaring and beating the breast, in a fashion calculated 
to make any self-respecting gorilla turn green with envy. 
Don't be this type of speaker. 

The voice can and must be cultivated, if you are to become 
a successful and interesting speaker in public. By deep 
breathing from the diaphragm and persistent and systematic 
practice of certain exercises, the voice can be built up in 
both tone and power. 

Your articulation too, is dependent more upon your will 
than upon exercise. Take thought unto yourself. When you 
speak, pronounce each syllable distinctly; don't slur your 
words. Remember that each word has its place and right 
to be in the sentence, or it wouldn't be there. Give that 
word a good, clear and distinct enunciation and it will play 
its part, however small, in the building up of your thought. 

EXERCISES IN BREATHING 

Breathing from the diaphragm is natural; breathing from 
the chest is unnatural. The public speaker must produce 
his tones from the diaphragm. Perhaps you have always 
breathed this way. Even so, the following exercises will not 
come amiss, for they will serve to develop those muscles even 
more : 

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The Henderson Method of Public Speaking 

Set aside two, ten or fifteen minute periods during the 
day ; one in the morning and one in the afternoon or evening. 
Stand by an open window and inhale deeply, filling your 
lungs to their capacity. Now exhale just as slowly. Do this 
three or four times at first, gradually increasing the number 
until you can inhale and exhale a dozen or more times in 
succession, without dizziness or a feeling of sudden weak- 
ness. Place your hand just below, what is commonly known 
as "the pit of the stomach," when you breathe in this way 
and you will feel the diaphragm expand and contract. 

If you wish to gauge your progress from day to day, 
measure yourself with your diaphragm contracted (with all 
the air exhaled from the lungs) then inhale slowly and when 
your lungs are filled, measure yourself with your diaphragm 
expanded. You will notice after a few days of these exer- 
cises, if you work properly and persistently, that your dia- 
phragmatic expansion is greater than when you started the 
work. 

EXERCISES IN ARTICULATION 

In conjunction with the breathing exercises for developing 
the voice, practice the following and similar exercises : 

There are five types of syllables : the labials, the palatals, 
the dentals, the Unguals and the nasals. The labials are de- 
pendent upon the lips for production, as b, w and p. The 
palatals use the palate and are such letters as g, k, etc. The 
dentals as the name implies, are produced by action of the 
tongue against the teeth, as d, sh, ch, and th. The linguals 
depend chiefly upon the tongue, as / and r. The nasals are 
pronounced with a slight exhalation through the nose, as m, 
n, ing, ung, etc. 

The following exercises will aid in developing a correct 
enunciation of these syllables: 
For the labials: 

Miles of marching make many men weary. 
For the palatals : 

The crowd clamored for the captured captain. 
For the dentals: 

The devil destroys thinkers' dreams. 
For the linguals : 

Limited armies, leagues and leaders will make for pros- 
perity. 

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The Henderson Method of Public Speaking 

For the nasals : 

No man need know that you are needy. 

The foregoing are given as examples. You may exercise 
your imagination and think of many more. These exercises 
in articulation should be practiced slowly at first, with stress 
on proper breathing (from the diaphragm) and care as to 
clearness. You will find before long that your voice carries 
much farther than formerly and your words are clearly and 
distinctly heard, even though pronounced in a voice modu- 
lated to little above a whisper. 

SUMMARY OF LESSON II 
"The Voice and Articulation" 

i. Set aside two periods of ten or fifteen minutes each day 
to practice diaphragmatic breathing. 

2. Try to breathe from your diaphragm at all times. 

3. Use the exercises under "Exercises in Articulation" 
to develop, in yourself, a clear enunciation, with strong ringing 
tones. 

4. Practice these instructions daily throughout the course 
and as long after as you feel is necessary. 



12 



The Henderson Method of Public Speaking 

LESSON III. 
"Gesture" 



"While speech is the verbal manifestation of thought 
and feeling, gesture is the silent, but no less eloquent 
expositor of the same workings of the soul." 

— J. W. Shoemaker. 



Too much cannot be said of this important branch of the 
art of public speaking, for it is an extremely essential part of 
every good speech, although in reality it is an art in itself, 
based upon one of the oldest of arts — pantomine. It might 
well be described as modified pantomine. In the silent 
play, the actor conveys a story to his audience by certain com- 
plete motions. The public speaker in gesticulating, merely 
suggests certain emotions and conditions by an abbreviated 
pantomine. 

In entering upon the study of gesture there is one word to 
be borne in mind ; one word that is the "open sesame" to suc- 
cess in this work — NATURALNESS. Above all, no matter 
what you are attempting to convey, no matter what gesture 
you think, have heard or been told is the proper one to use, 
don't overdo it, or for one moment let it appear forced. Better 
to stand before your audience motionless and depend upon 
your voice and your words to produce the desired effect, than 
to make one unnatural gesture. Gestures in a speech are 
made to be felt, not to be seen. The moment your audience 
becomes conscious of your gesticulating, you have lost your 
hold upon them. Unconsciously their minds will wander to 
your gestures ; they will begin to wait for you to make a cer- 
tain gesture at certain times. 

WHAT IS GESTURE? 

First, let us have a general definition of gesture. It is an 
action of the head, the body, the arms or the legs that conveys 
through the medium of the eye a message similar to the one 
being conveyed through the medium of the ear. 

Gesture may be divided into two general types; the literal 
and the figurative. The literal gesture applies to material 

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The Henderson Method of Public Speaking 

objects, such as a statement in the speech that "a man was 
struck on the head" and denoted by a gesture of striking 
down. The figurative gesture is used to express emotional 
states. For instance, you may make the statement that "the 
man is morally depraved." Moral depravity is not a tangible 
thing. It is a condition. In this case you would use a de- 
scending motion of the arms. 

Naturalness is the keynote to the entire subject, and to 
obtain real naturalness, you must first feel your speech. An 
ambitious young man once wrote to Elbert Hubbard asking 
how he might learn to write well. Hubbard's reply was "first 
have something to say, and when you have, you will find a 
way to say it." 



VISUALIZE YOUR THOUGHT— DO THE NATURAL 

THING 

When first you begin practicing in the sanctity of your 
room, where you may work undisturbed, certain gestures will 
come to you naturally, and as you progress and gain self- 
confidence you will quite naturally fall into the habit of mak- 
ing other gestures. These will come to you rapidly if you 
make it an iron-bound rule to visualize your words. As you 
speak, see the thing you are saying. See the thing done, or 
the condition prevailing and instantly, if you permit your 
imagination to run, the proper gesture will suggest itself to 
you. Let us have just one illustration of this point. You are 
describing to your audience, the victorious uniting of the 
British army that fought in Mesopotamia under General 
Allenby, with the Russian army that fought through Bessa- 
rabia under the Grand Duke Nicholas. First, ask yourself 
what condition you wish to express. The answer is at once, 
two things coming together. Now, you have at your disposal 
to illustrate this event, your hands, arms, legs, head, body and 
the expression of your face. Which of these servants can 
you use for the purpose? Think, and you will at once realize 
that there is but one gesture to signify coming together. You 
will make it with your two hands, bringing them slowly to- 
gether in front of you. Is there anything difficult or com- 
plicated in that? 

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The Henderson Method of Public Speaking 

PERFECT SYNCHRONY OF VOICE AND GESTURE 
As you practice speaking after reading some article, begin 
thinking of what gestures you will make. If necessary stop 
and draw a mental picture of the thought you are about to 
express and if you draw a clear and accurate picture in your 
mind you will at once see the only possible gesture to make 
under the circumstances. Gradually as you become more 
adept you will forget that you are gesturing. Your gestures 
will become perfectly synchronized with your speech. They 
will not be apparent to the audience; they will be felt. 

DON'T EXAGGERATE 
As you fare forth into the realm of gesture, remember that 
the same rule applies to your individual gestures as to your 
articulation. Each gesture must be clearly denned, sharply 
bitten out. This does not mean that it is to be exaggerated. 
Here, more than in any other branch of the art of public 
speaking, repression must be practiced. Never make a full 
sweep of the arm when a half sweep will convey the idea 
just as well. The French have an ingrained custom of shrug- 
ging the shoulders. A shrug of the shoulders with them, 
many times has more meaning than whole paragraphs of 
speech. You will soon discover that many of the most expres- 
sive gestures are made with the slightest and apparently most 
offhand effort. Make your gestures easy and graceful and 
then when you arrive at a dramatic moment when you wish 
to drive home some fact, by a tense, strong, well-delivered 
movement, you will suddenly electrify your audience and sear 
your point into their memories. 

ANALYZE YOUR GESTURES 
Practically all gestures start from the body out and may be 
analyzed into two distinct movements ; the movement of prep- 
aration; and the movement of execution. Make a few ges- 
tures and analyze them. You will soon see the two distinct 
parts into which they may be divided. For instance, let us 
take as an illustration, the examples previously given of the 
uniting of the British and Russian armies. The gesture used 
to describe is that of bringing the hands together slowly. 
Now, to analyze that gesture. The movement of preparation 
is the bringing up of the arms to a level with the chest and 

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The Henderson Method of Public Speaking 

slightly extended from the body; the movement of execution 
is the bringing together of the hands slowly and directly be- 
fore the body. When the hands meet and the gesture is fin- 
ished the arms should drop easily to the side ready for the 
next movement. 

DON'T OVER-DO IT 

At first your greatest difficulty will be to gesticulate enough. 
You will not think quickly. Later, as you gain more self- 
confidence and cultivate the ability to throw yourself into 
your speech and concentrate every ounce of energy and nerve 
force upon what you are saying, you will be in danger of 
over-gesturing. Beware of this pitfall. 

SUMMARY OF LESSON III 
"Gesture" 

i. The subject may be summed up in one word, NATU- 
RALNESS. 

2. Throughout your speech, strive to draw mental pictures 
of what you say. 

3. Your ultimate triumph is perfect synchronization of 
speech and gesture. 

4. There are two general types of gesture; the literal and 
the figurative. 

5. Don't over-do your movements. Be sure that they are 
easy, graceful and above all, not forced. 



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\ 

The Henderso) Method of Public Speaking 

LESSON IV. 
'The Speech" 



"Fiunt oratores, nascitntur poetae." 

• — QUINTILIAN. 

There are two methods to pursue in delivering a speech. 
One and the most popular, is to write the entire speech, or 
the greater portion of it, and study carefully in preparation 
for the delivery. The other and by far the most successful 
ultimately, is the extemporaneous speech. It is with the latter 
that I shall deal in this lesson. The preparation of the studied 
speech is quite obvious. 

The chief requisite for speaking extempore is a clear and 
logical thinking apparatus. Unless you think decisively and 
with a certain degree of logic, your extemporizing will be 
confused, lacking in cohesion and sequence. I am writing this 
lesson with the assumption that you have this ability. If you 
have not, it is your duty to yourself and to your future 
audiences to begin training in clear and logical thought. You 
can do it. Any intelligent man or woman who exercises an 
ounce of WILL and attempts to control the mental processes 
can become a logical thinker. You must harness your mental 
operations and drive them where and when you will. 

GATHER YOUR DATA WITH CARE 
Before you even come to the decision that you will make 
a speech on a certain subject, read and search out your in- 
formation. It many times happens that upon investigation 
you find the theme totally unadapted to your purposes, or 
quite beyond your ability to develop properly in a single 
lecture. If the subject is one requiring a series of speeches 
to properly present it, you must know this before you an- 
nounce your intention to speak. When you have collected 
all the data you believe necessary for the work in hand, begin 
its arrangement in your mind. In the gathering of material 
and later in the arrangement be careful to eliminate every 
fact or fancy that savors of irrelevancy. In your discourse, 
never engage in an excursus that has no bearing upon your 

17 



The Henderson Method of Public Speaking 

subject, no matter how great an opportunity is offered for 
eloquence and beautiful thoughts. Your audience is thinking 
along a single track railroad and if you suddenly switch 
them off, even for a moment, you will encounter the greatest 
difficulty in bringing their attention back to the subject at 
hand. 

HOW TO BEGIN 

In opening your speech you have the choice of many types 
of salutation. The simplest is always the best. Marc Antony 
in his political tirade over the corpse of Caesar, in the play, 
opens with the greeting: "Friends, Romans, Countrymen." 
The apostle Paul stood before the populace of Athens and 
opened with "Men of Athens. " Many speakers in public use 
the simple word "Friends." Your salutation should be short. 
The audience is waiting to hear the speech. 

THE INTRODUCTION 

The first duty of every speaker is to introduce his subject 
in a short concise series of remarks. It is not necessary to 
say in so many words, "my subject is so and so." In your 
introduction you will mention your theme and deal with it 
generally, imparting to your listeners, a skeleton structure of 
what you are going to say, as you plunge deeper into your 
subject. Make the introduction short and natural, and with- 
out a break in thought work into the body of your speech. 

Here, I have but a few words of advice to give. Be clear, 
logical and never lose sight of your subject. At times you 
will find it necessary to leave your main theme for a moment 
to develop some point. When you find it absolutely necessary 
to do this, always work back, as rapidly as possible to the 
subject. As you speak you should be able to see the discourse 
unfolding and stretching up toward the climax. Arrived at 
the "top-notch" of your speech, descend rapidly to the con- 
clusion. You cannot sustain a climax. If you attempt it, 
you will fail. The moment you arrive at the big point, close 
as briefly as possible. You've said enough. If you fail to 
do this, your big thought will be buried beneath a mountain 
of words, that, while pertaining to the subject are absolutely 
unnecessary. 

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The Henderson Method of Public Speaking 

A HACKNEYED THEME 

You may be called upon sometime to speak on a much dis- 
cussed, and talked-to-death topic. You feel that there is 
practically nothing that you can say, that will add more light 
to the matter. In such a case, read over the remarks of 
your predecessors, carefully analyze and boil down, sift out 
the chaff and present them in your own way. If you do 
this conscientiously, the result will be an amazingly original 
discourse. In using your own ideas or other people's, try to 
view them as a unified whole. See your speech as a single 
great thought, with the various ideas in it, cogs of the greater 
machine. 

THE CONCLUSION 

When, after building one thought upon another, proving 
one point by a series of illustrations and another point by a 
few statistics, you have brought all the stray ends of the 
great fabric together, deliver your few closing statements. 

Often it is not only unnecessary, but undesirable to speak 
a word after you have delivered your climax. In certain 
types of speeches, where a quieter, more instructive method 
is needed, a few well-chosen words are useful to sum up. 
This recapitulation will remain in the memory of your 
audience long after any burst of eloquence. The kind of 
conclusion rests with you and the circumstances. You must 
at all times gauge your statements and the length of your 
talk, by the audience. If they seem distracted, uneasy, bored, 
go through with it just the same, do your best, but be as 
brief as possible. They will thank you for your brevity and 
consideration. 

PREPARATION 

It is advisable to jot down a brief outline of the speech 
or lecture. Write down your big points; the introduction 
of the subject; the body of the speech with the various phases 
of your theme; and the conclusion. Picture this synopsis 
to yourself, but when you speak, do not follow it to the 
detriment of holding your audience. Remember it is an 
assistance, but not a law. 

An hour or a half-hour before you step before your audi- 
ence, sit quietly and rapidly run over the speech you are to 

19 



The Henderson Method of Public Speaking 

make. Consider your opening words and just how you will 
deliver them. Refresh in your memory the chief points and 
sum up in a few words. Keep that epitome in your memory, 
for it may prove very useful in an emergency. There may 
come a moment when your memory will for an instant fail. 
You will feel that you are wallowing in a mire of words and 
thoughts without connection. Then it is that your little 
epitome will come to the rescue, as a beacon light to show 
you what to do next. 

Bearing these few points in mind you must work and 
THINK, if you are to become a successful extemporaneous 
speaker. The after-dinner speaker, the chairman of a large 
assemblage, the lawyer and most of all the salesman, must 
speak extempore. 

SUMMARY OF LESSON IV 

i. Use the greatest of care in gathering your data for a 
speech. This is the backbone of your work. 

2. The three principal parts of a speech are the intro- 
duction, main body and conclusion. Practice making short 
speeches bearing these three divisions in mind. 

3. THINK! This is the thing that will carry you to 
success. 



20 



The Henderson Method of Public Speaking 

LESSON V. 

"Platform Psychology 



"Whether the lecturer teaches or simply amuses, he 
must look upon his audience as a jury to be car- 
ried and held, while a preacher who loses sight of 
this fact is sure to be lost sight of by his con- 
gregation." 

— Nathan Sheppard. 



In reading the title of this lesson you doubtless had a 
vision of a little journey into the realm of psychology — that 
is, providing you have by this time progressed sufficiently to 
visualize what you think and read. It is not, however, my 
intention to lead you even a few steps into "that science 
which deals with the workings of the mind." Anything that 
I might say would only serve to confuse you, for it would 
take an entire volume to develop clearly "mob psychology" 
with its many details. 

My purpose in this lesson is to give you an idea of what 
to do when you face an audience, whether for the first time 
in your life, the thousandth or the ten thousandth time. In 
my experience as a lecturer and teacher of public speaking, 
there are certain rules that I have found must be observed. 
There are innumerable conditions, everchanging, always 
slightly different, for which no public speaker could give you 
rules or instruction, and these you must meet and overcome 
as they arise. 

STUDY YOUR AUDIENCE 
First, last and always study your audience. That is why 
a knowledge of psychology and particularly that branch of 
the science dealing with mobs, while not indispensable, never 
comes amiss. The successful speaker, figuratively has his 
hand on the pulse of his auditors at all times, watching for 
the slightest change in feeling. 

Face your audience squarely, look them in the eye and don't 
for one moment be afraid of them. They're perfectly harm- 
less. Recall the times when you have been one of a large 
gathering, listening to some lecture or public address. As a 

21 



The Henderson Method of Public Speaking 

part of that great whole, were you at that time a man-eating 
beast, savagely awaiting an opportunity to devour whom you 
might? Certainly not ! You were a perfectly peaceful human 
being, waiting to hear something interesting. Remember that 
when you face YOUR audience. 

It matters not, whether you are facing an entire audience, 
or bearding in his den, some big man, whom you are inter- 
viewing. If your audience is one man, so much the easier 
for you. The same rules apply to him. Never let him for 
one moment gain the advantage of you. While he's talking, 
you're not only listening, but thinking, and when he pauses 
you are ready with a reply. Keep your hand on his pulse; 
read his thoughts when you can and you will hold your 
mastery of the situation. 

FEEL YOUR AUDIENCE 

The speaker who faces an American audience is working 
against much more difficult conditions, than the speaker of 
almost any other nation. The English, always conservative 
and following a custom, whether they like the lecturer or 
not, will attempt to applaud at the proper times and will be 
very careful to be courteous. Another condition that makes 
things much easier for the speaker in England, is the fact 
that usually he finds himself addressing a gathering from 
the same stratum of society. He is speaking to the middle 
class, or the upper class or the lower class. In our country 
it is many times difficult for a speaker to decide just what 
character of audience he is addressing. It is usually so 
mixed; high and low, great and small. Consequently, an 
American speaker must be always on the alert, careful of 
what he says and how he says it, for an American audience 
applauds when it enjoys and as a rule sits in gloomy and 
silent contempt, or departs swiftly, if it is dissatisfied. 

No matter what kind of a speech it is; a Fourth of July 
oration; a speech of dedication, introduction or eulogy, don't 
talk down or up to your hearers. Talk straight to them. 
Every sense must be on the alert. At first you will watch and 
listen for signs of fatigue or disapproval, but gradually, as 
you grow more experienced you will feel your audience. You 
will feel every vibration of that body and when you have 

22 



The Henderson Method of Public Speaking 

succeeded in this, you will begin to see how to make them 
think as one, with you that one. 

CONTROL YOUR TEMPER 
One of the hardest things you will have to contend with 
is your temper. In spite of an even temper, there will come 
a time, perhaps there will come many times, when it will 
cost you an almost superhuman effort, to keep from telling 
the whole audience or some particularly offensive member of 
it, just what you think about them or him, and things in 
general. When you have been driven to that point and feel 
that there is absolutely nothing worth while in the world, but 
shouting out your defiance of your tormentors, THINK. As 
long as you are sane, and the power of WILLING is upper- 
most in your mind, you have the advantage, for you are on 
a platform, raised above the heads of the crowd; they came 
to listen and although they may at the moment be doing just 
the opposite, the reason for their coming will remain in their 
minds, and it is entirely up to you to gain a hearing and 
again bring uppermost, that thought. Audiences are not 
given to disorder. They rather delight in tormenting the 
speaker, if something he says, or does, or doesn't do, fails 
to measure up, or down to their standards. 

In certain types of speaking, the greatest difficulty encoun- 
tered is with the heckler; the man who delights in asking 
questions that he believes will serve to disconcert the speaker. 
The heckler usually succeeds in swinging the audience with 
him. They are delighted at the prospect of an argument and 
mentally surge, first to the speaker, then to the mischief maker 
and presently others, not to be outdone by one of their num- 
ber, join in questions and remarks until the sorely tried 
lecturer knows not whence to turn. 

OBSERVE OTHER SPEAKERS 
While I do not recommend the average soap-box spell- 
binder or the verbose, bombastic, flag-waving Fourth of July 
orator, a lecturer occupying the highest position in his pro- 
fession, many times may learn by observing the tactics of 
these people. He will learn by observing what they do not 
do and the mistakes they make. If you have the opportunity 
to pause by the wayside and listen to some "knight of the 

23 



The Henderson Method of Public Speaking 

soap-box" or "stump/' try to analyze his speech. Watch his 
gestures. Are they good? Probably not. Is he interesting 
and holding his audience? If so, why? What is the man at 
your elbow saying? What faults has he detected in the 
speaker? You may learn much by following this method. 

The study of people and things, of incidents in daily life, 
and the study of yourself, mean everything to you in making 
a success of the speaker's platform, salesmanship, or any line 
of commerce, art or literature. The man who succeeds is the 
keen analyst, who looks deeper than the thin veneer of society, 
who strives to know men, but who above all, coldly and relent- 
lessly studies himself. 

SUMMARY OF LESSON V 
i. Study your audience always. Feel their pulse. 

2. Control your temper at all times. No matter how great 
the provocation, it is never worth while to show even the 
slightest annoyance. 

3. When opportunity offers, study other speakers. Learn 
by their mistakes. 



24 



The Henderson Method of Public Speaking 

LESSON VI. 
"Special Speeches" 



"Therefore, since brevity is the soul of wit, 

And tediousness the limbs and outward-flourishes, 

I wiM be brief" 

— Shakespeare. 



In the future as in the past, there will from time to time 
arise the opportunity for you to make a special speech. You 
will be called upon to make a short address at a dinner, or 
perhaps be the chairman of some meeting where it will de- 
volve upon you to introduce the speakers. Again you will 
be called to deliver a few remarks at a wedding with the 
usual felicitations. I shall endeavor in these few pages to 
give you a general idea of the method to pursue in these 
cases. 

IMPROMPTU 

Speeches of this kind are almost invariably impromptu in 
the broadest sense of the word. Once in a while, you may 
be notified or suspect in advance; but in a majority of cases, 
the request for "a few words'* comes like a bolt from the 
blue and you suddenly find yourself on your feet facing your 
friends with the necessity of saying something wise and some- 
thing witty, and doing it quickly. 

THE AFTER-DINNER SPEECH 

The after-dinner speech is the simplest and yet one of the 
most difficult to do well. Don't be dramatic. Give your 
friends some worth-while thought. Be witty or humorous 
if you can. If you deem it advisable, relate some little anec- 
dote that illustrates your few words. In closing, you are 
at liberty to finish with your anecdote, or add a few words 
in a more serious strain. That is for you to decide. The 
only rule I give you is "be brief." Don't speak over five or 
ten minutes at the longest. Gauge yourself by the other 
speakers, if any have preceded you. Make your address 
shorter than theirs and you are sure to be right. After- 
dinner speaking has received a bad name in the past, because 

25 



The Henderson Method of Public Speaking 

of long-winded, prosy orators, who delight in "I recall," "now 
when I was younger," and "that reminds me of another little 
story." Be brief. 

WEDDING SPEECH 

While the speech at a wedding must be essentially original, 
every speech of this kind has certain outstanding features. 
The following outline, I give you to show how such a speech 
may be arranged. I say, "may" not "must." No doubt a 
very acceptable and interesting speech of this kind could be 
made on entirely different lines. If you don't like my sug- 
gestion think it over and arrange a different outline for 
yourself. 

Outline 

Introduction: I. The married state. 

II. Direct personal reference to the young people about 
to be married. 

III. Felicitations. 

SPEECH OF INTRODUCTION 

There are two plans of attack. The first is the direct 
method, where the speaker introduces the name of the man 
immediately, then mentions a few of his achievements and 
closes by taking the usual pleasure in introducing Mr. So- 
and-so. 

The second method is known as the elliptical, and is by 
far the more popular. Here the man's name is carefully 
hidden. You tell of his work, what he has done and what 
he intends doing and at the climax the name is mentioned. I 
don't advise the use of the bromide, "I take pleasure in intro- 
ducing" in connection with the speaker's name. Of course 
you take pleasure in doing it, or you wouldn't do it. Be 
original. If you find that your vein of originality refuses to 
work at the psychological moment, just say, "Ladies and Gen- 
tlemen" or "Friends, Mr. So.-and-so." When you have con- 
cluded in as brief a manner as possible, sit down and stay 
down. Don't act nervously or self-consciously and keep 
crossing your legs, or twiddling your thumbs. The audience 
isn't examining the color, scheme of your socks or the style 
of your collar. They're listening to the speaker, but they 

26 






The Henderson Method of Public Speaking 

won't be for long if you continue fidgeting about to attract 
their attention. The same advice as to brevity applies in this 
case, as in the case of the after-dinner and wedding speeches. 
An anecdote, if it is extremely relevant, is quite permissible, 
but remember your allotment of time is measured by seconds, 
not minutes. The audience came to hear the various speakers 
you are introducing. You are only the ringmaster. 

READ YOUR AUDIENCE 

All the advice and suggestions I might give on these special 
speeches will go to naught, unless you think clearly and en- 
deavor to read your audience. Try to seize upon the idea 
in their minds, particularly in making the after-dinner speech. 
There must be some reason for the dinner. If you feel that 
you can, and others before you have not talked it to death, 
say something clever or beautiful about the purpose of the 
gathering. Above all, remember that you are there, not to 
instruct or move to action, but to entertain. Your audience 
wants to smile, or laugh, or hear something pleasant that will 
make them feel better for hearing it. Make it your business 
to have a few really humorous anecdotes at your tongue's 
end, ready for use at short notice, and bury the personal 
pronoun deep under your chair before you arise. 

The need for speaking a few words arises in every man's 
life. The salesman attends a dinner; the man of affairs goes 
to the wedding of a friend and is asked to speak; the pro- 
fessional man acts as chairman of some meeting and finds 
that he must introduce a number of speakers. Almost in- 
variably, the event comes suddenly. If you train yourself 
properly by reading, by studying and by acquainting yourself 
with a few good, humorous remarks, but more than that, if 
you continually practice reading your audience, regardless of 
whether it is one man or a thousand, you will always be ready ; 
never at a loss for something to say; and the right words 
with which to say it. 

SUMMARY OF LESSON VI 
i. "Brevity is the soul of wit." 

2. Take pencil and paper and try writing a short after- 

27 



The Henderson Method of Public Speaking 

dinner speech for some organization of which you are a 
member. 

3. Do the same for a wedding speech for some friend just 
married. Think of something humorous or witty to say about 
him. Don't speak of marriage cynically. Don't be too 
personal. 

4. Do the same for a speech introducing some speaker 
of note. Try introducing him by the direct method and by 
the elliptical. Try being a little humorous, then serious. Be 
brief. 






28 



The Henderson Method of Public Speaking 

LESSON VII. 
"Errors" 

"Show me a man who has never made a mistake, 
and I will show you a man who has never done 
anything." 

— Theodore Roosevelt. 



Several chapters might be devoted to the subject of errors 
made by public speakers and others. Even the most seasoned 
of platform workers will make mistakes, the chief difference 
between him and the inexperienced speaker, being that he 
makes fewer errors and knows better how to cover them. 

In your speech, you will find yourself prone to make two 
types of mistakes; the error of grammar and construction; 
and the mis-statement of fact. For the present we will con- 
sider the grammatical error only. In this category we have 
every possible blunder that you could stumble into, from the 
use of the double negative and the split infinitive, to the 
selection of the wrong word to express your thought. While 
a slight error of grammar or construction might pass un- 
noticed with the average man in the crowd, there are a great 
many persons whose ears are attuned to the English language, 
just as the musician's ear is trained to the swift analyzing 
and judging of music. To the man with an ear so trained, 
the use of a single inapt word, jars and spoils whatever effect 
,our speech might have had upon him. This attuning of 
the ear is one of your tasks, if you arc to be a successful 
speaker, either on the public platform or in daily life. The 
first step is to be grammatically sure of yourself; know when 
to use who and when to use whom and why you do it; know 
the proper uses of shall and will and always place which 
or that in the right position. The foregoing are only a few 
of the most common faults. You probably have your own 
special stock of errors. 

MISUSE OF WORDS 

If you have carefully followed my advice, given in Lesson 
I 3 and seriously tried to enlarge your vocabulary, you are 
to-day misusing far fewer words than formerly, for you have 

29 



The Henderson Method of Public Speaking 

a much larger selection from which to draw. A misused 
word is not always an incorrect one. If you wish to express 
a certain thought and you choose a word that is perfectly 
correct in the sentence, but falls short of expressing your idea, 
then you have misused the word. You didn't intend to say 
just what you did. The fault lies with the selection of the 
word. For instance : "Lloyd George demonstrated his states- 
manship throughout the peace negotiations by his ability to 
turn every suggestion to Great Britain's advantage." Aside 
from the possible inaccuracy of statement, this remark is 
correct. But, "statesmanship" does not quite express the real 
thought. What was intended was, that Lloyd George demon- 
strated his diplomatic ability throughout the peace negotiations. 
Statesmanship is general. It includes diplomatic ability. The 
use of the latter, narrower term, comes nearer to expressing 
the idea. 

OVER-WORKED WORDS 

There are many common words that do more than their 
share of imparting ideas. They have done their best, but have 
not always conveyed the thought correctly or beautifully, be- 
cause they were chosen to do the work of another word, 
that was among the missing when the speaker called the roll 
of his vocabulary. Do you use "nice" to excess? Look in 
the dictionary and find the correct definition. 

"NICE, adj. — Characterized by discrimination and judg- 
ment. 2. Refined and pure in tastes and habits. 3. Requir- 
ing careful consideration or treatment. 4. Exactly fitted or 
adjusted. Synonyms — Choice, dainty, fine, neat." 

The next time you have occasion to use that word "nice" 
try out one of the synonyms given in this definition, and be 
sure that your use of the word fits the definition given. Every 
time you find yourself over-using some word, call in your old 
friend the dictionary and consult him on the matter. He'll 
always tell you how to do better. As a suggestion to start 
this good work, of weeding out your garden of words, look 
for the following, see what part of speech they are, and where 
they should be used : 

then now however 

like and say 

very because well 

30 



The Henderson Method of Public Speaking 

The above list is only by way of suggestion. I could give you 
a hundred overworked and weary words as easily as these few, 
but such a list only yon can make. Perhaps your fault doesn't 
lie with these words. It is entirely up to you to find the words 
that ride on the tip of your tongue, day in and day out. Every 
man has a different set. Those in the list are a few, most 
commonly used, or rather misused. 

SENTENCE STRUCTURE 

This is a subject to which I will only give you an introduc- 
tion, leaving you to work out your own salvation. Secure a 
good book and when you first open it, I suggest looking for 
"infinitives." Not that I for one moment accuse you of the 
crime of splitting them, but a little information will surely do 
no harm. Fire-wood was made to be split; infinitives to be 
used undamaged. 

PREPOSITIONS 

When you feel that you know sufficient about infinitives, 
shake hands with Mr. Preposition. This gentleman deserves 
a good seat in your sentence, but nine times out of ten he is 
admitted as an after-thought. There is a little anecdote that 
will help you a great deal in the proper use of the preposition. 

The superintendent, while inspecting the country school, 
heard a little boy in reciting his lesson place a preposition at 
the end of a sentence. "Little boy," said the inspector se- 
verely, "don't you know that a preposition is a bad thing to 
end a sentence with ?" 

WHO AND WHOM 

Before we close this interesting subject, let me mention one 
more petty crime of grammar. I refer to the use of who and 
whom. Do you know how and when to use these brothers? 
The chances are, you do not. You may use them correctly, 
merely through habit. You may use who and whom correctly 
half a life-time, but some day you are going to misuse them 
unless you know exactly why you use whom in one place and 
who in another. 

The number of errors of this kind among really educated 
men and women is surprising. You will find them in the 
speeches by some of the best known public men and women, 

31 



The Henderson Method of Public Speaking 

in novels, short stories, magazine articles and advertising 
matter. 

PUNCTUATE YOUR THOUGHTS 

I have attempted in this article on errors, to call to your 
attention a few of the most glaring mistakes. I have by no 
means covered the field. That field is different with each 
person. You have your own set of mistakes ; I have mine. It 
rests with you to find those faults and eliminate them. Many 
times you can avoid gross errors by thinking clearly. As you 
speak, punctuate your thoughts. At first this will require an 
effort of concentration. Later you will do it subconsciously. 
As you deliver one sentence, the succeeding one will be form- 
ing in your mind, punctuated and ready for use. You will 
visualize the punctuation. Again I say, "take thought unto 
yourself." Think decisively and completely; not in the hit- 
cr-miss fragmentary fashion of most men and women. Learn 
to do this and half the battle is won. 

SUMMARY OF LESSON VII 






i. Search your vocabulary for the words that you over 
work. 

2. Study sentence structure and strive to correct any faults 
you may have. 

3. Be sure of yourself on the use of who and whom, shall 
and will, which and that. 

4. Practice punctuating your thoughts. 

5. Try to detect the blunders that other people make in 
conversation. In time you will attune your ear to good 
language. 






32 



The Henderson Method of Public Speaking 

LESSON VIII. 
"Rhetoric" 



"The Orator persuades and carries all with him, he 
knozvs not how; the Rhetorician can prove that he 
ought to have persuaded and carried all with him." 

— Carlyle. 



Again I must, perforce, be cursory. My effort here shall be 
to point out the parts of rhetoric you will find most necessary, 
that you may in referring to a good book on the subject, know 
for what to look. 

A slight knowledge of sentences, you must have. There are 
three general divisions : the loose, the periodic, and the bal- 
anced. Each has its purpose, and used in the right place, 
lends strength and vigor to your words. 

LOOSE SENTENCES 

As it is the most commonly used, I will first consider this, 
type of sentence. In your daily conversation, the chances are 
you use these sentences fully ninety percent of the time. A 
loose sentence is so constructed as to permit the reader to 
stop at one or more places and yet make good sense and a 
complete statement. For instance : "The girl lived in an old 
farmhouse, down by the river's edge." In this instance it is 
possible to stop after farmhouse, and make a perfectly intel- 
ligible statement. The effect is flowing and graceful. There 
is no suspense. 

PERIODIC SENTENCES 

Here we have the element of suspense. The reader or 
auditor must wait until the end to gather the meaning. I will 
use the same sentence as an example, simply reversing the 
word order. "In an old farmhouse, down by the river's edge, 
the girl lived," or "Down by the river's edge, in an old farm- 
house, lived the girl." In this sentence you are forced to wait 
until the end; you are held in suspense. 

33 



The Henderson Method of Public Speaking 

BALANCED SENTENCES 

"'Not only is New York the largest city in the world, but it is 
*che greatest in the world." In this sentence we are balancing 
• one fact against another. Largest on one side, weighs against 
greatest on the other. The effect is impressive. 

The loose sentence is useful in poetic and beautiful descrip- 
tions. Its graceful, flowing beauty lends itself to the painting 
of pictures and to narrating simple facts, but when the 
speaker, wishing to drive home a point, feels the need of 
dramatic intensity, he must use the little trick of suspense. 
In the periodic there is the element of suspense. The 
entire sentence is being built upon a single unsuspecting noun 
and verb. By careful building up of your periodic sentences 
on a thought, you produce the effect of lifting up. The idea 
presented shoots out and up like a sky-rocket, suddenly burst- 
ing in all its splendor at the climax. 

When you are presenting a number of facts, comparing two 
things or conditions, the balanced sentence is useful, for it is 
impressive, and with it you continually carry the two ideas 
■with you, eliminating the possibility of losing one in presenting 
the other. These are a few suggestions that I give you. 
Don't be misled into over-using these types of sentences. The 
loose sentence is the average, and for average purposes the 
best, but in a long exposition, if used to an extreme, will pro- 
duce monotony, which is obviously to be avoided. 

FIGURES OF SPEECH 

In language, both spoken and written, there are two ways 
of expressing the thought: figuratively and literally. For 
example : 

"His face was very brown." "Brown as a nut was his face." 
The first is the literal statement; the second the figurative 
description. 

The three most common figures of speech are : the simile, 
the metaphor and personification. 

A SIMILE is a direct comparison between two objects of 
different kinds. 

"As strong as a bull ; beautiful as a rose ; vicious as a lap- 
dog;" are all examples of simile. It is expressive and serves 
its purpose if not over-used. 

34 






The Henderson Method of Public Speaking 

METAPHOR is an implied or suggested comparison be- 
tween two objects of different kinds, as: 

"The lion is the king of beasts; the violet is the shy maid 
of the wood." 

PERSONIFICATION consists in attributing life and in- 
telligence to things without life. 

The following are a few examples : 

"Pride goeth forth on horseback, grand and gay, 
But cometh back on foot, and begs its way." 

"The Sun came up upon the left, 
Out of the sea, came he; 
And he shone bright, and on the right 
Went down into the sea." 

The foregoing illustrations will serve as an introduction to 
personification. I do not believe an explanation is necessary. 
The definition and the two examples given should be suffi- 
cient. 

ONOMATOPCEIA 

There are certain words in the English language, and for 
that matter in all languages, that resemble in pronuncia- 
tion the sound of the thing or act. Whizzing, burbling, tink- 
ling, swift and hundreds of other words suggest by their 
sound, the act. This is called onomatopoeia. In an instance 
where you wish to give a vivid description or particularly im- 
press, a word of this type will do the work to better advantage 
than any other. Used sparingly it strengthens your descriptions. 

ALLITERATION 

Alliteration is the repetition of the v same initial letter or 
syllable, in words directly following each other. The effect 
is good if not overworked. In delivering a speech, you have 
some idea expressed in an epigram that you wish to impress 
upon the memory of your audience. A little alliteration in 
the composition of the epigram will make it easier to remem- 
ber. As an example: "Through absolute altruism we won the 
war." This is alliteration, but it is perhaps carried to an ex- 
treme. Great care must be used in the forming of alliterative 

35 



The Henderson Method of Public Speaking 

sentences and phrases, for this figure of speech has been used 
over and over again by the circus man, and while it works 
well with this form of entertainment, it is very apt to bring 
down derision on the head of the unsuspecting speaker, who 
suggests anything like the circus poster form of speech. 

STUDY RHETORIC 

A careful study of this subject is your business, for you are 
continually using figures of speech in your daily conversation 
and on the platform, without realizing it. Study all the points 
I have outlined until you are able to say, "I know what they 
are and when to use them." You may have used them cor- 
rectly all your life, but with the technical knowledge, you will 
be sure of yourself and will in many cases use them to great 
advantage. 

SUMMARY OF LESSON VIII. 

i. Select any good treatise on rhetoric. 

2. Study the various types of sentence : loose, periodic and 
balanced. 

3. Acquaint yourself with the various figures of speech. 

4. Try using in your practice speeches, figures of speech 
that you feel are particularly descriptive of the thought you 
are- expressing. 

5. Think out some original similes, and delve moderately 
into alliteration and onomatopoeia. 



36 



The Henderson Method of Public Speaking 

LESSON IX. 
"Good Salesmanship" 



"Whatever is worth doing at all, is worth doing well." 

— Lord Chesterfield. 

This is not a course in salesmanship, but public speaking is 
so closely allied to selling that the few remarks I will make 
on this subject will be quite in order. The basic principles of 
the two are the same and they travel hand in hand down the 
same road. The chief point of difference is that where in- 
struction in the art of the public speaker must cease, sales- 
manship continues. 

EVERY MAN A SALESMAN 

Whatever may be your calling, you are a salesman of some- 
thing. If you are not selling some one else's product, you are 
selling yourself. There comes a time in your career when you 
search for a new position. When you do, you are a salesman 
selling your services, and the better salesman you prove, the 
better position you succeed in obtaining. 

A few years ago, I knew a young man whose aim in life 
was to become a writer of advertising copy. He was rather 
clever at this sort of work, but was sadly lacking in experi- 
ence. He wanted to start some place, but most of the adver- 
tising men to whom he spoke of his ambition were inclined to 
doubt and were not at all enthusiastic about providing the 
necessary experience. He began writing letters to the heads 
of several different agencies, telling these men what he thought 
about advertising, what he thought was wrong and right about 
their agencies, and in what capacity he would like to work for 
them. He sent from three to five a week. Finally the head 
of a well-known New York agency sent for him. "Young 
man," he said, "you've been writing to me for the past five 
weeks. My desk, my files, my waste-basket and all the spare 
room in my office are filled with your letters. If it keeps up 
I'll have to hire a special stenographer to handle your mail. 
The only way of shutting you up, apparently, is to give you a 
job. Your ideas are rotten, but your enthusiasm is com- 
mendable. Begin Monday. Good morning!" 

37 



The Henderson Method of Public Speaking 

This may not have been essentially good salesmanship, but 
it produced results. The young man had sold his services to 
a man who had positively refused to hire him the first time 
they had met. 

APPEARANCE 

Like the public speaker, the salesman must always have a 
good appearance. He must dress well and neatly. He must 
look prosperous even though his pockets are well-nigh empty. 
When the salesman meets a customer he must feel that he is 
as well dressed and prosperous appearing as the man of af- 
fairs. It adds many inches to his self-confidence. A very 
good friend of mine, having made up his mind to devote his 
life to selling insurance, started with one of the biggest in- 
surance companies in the United States. He attended their 
school of salesmanship, studied and worked and finally suc- 
ceeded. For almost two years though, it was nip and tuck to 
make both ends meet. Then came the metamorphosis. One 
morning the head of the branch met him as he was going out. 
"How are things coming, Mac," he asked. Mac replied that 
the future looked much brighter. "Well, sir," he said smiling, 
"you're at last a real salesman. I've noticed you wearing three 
different suits this week and every one of them neat and well- 
fitting. You look like ready money, and if I'm not mistaken 
you'll soon have it." 

Mac was by no means a walking advertisement for a cloth- 
ing house, but he always had his clothes neatly pressed and 
was well-shaven and clean in appearance. Gradually his 
clothes had affected him until he felt prosperous and with 
that feeling came his real success in selling. 

READY SPEECH 

But clothes do not make the man. If you have nothing but 
a neat and stylish outside, the keen man of business will soon 
penetrate beneath that shell and find you wanting. Your 
speech must always be equal to the situation. It isn't every 
man who can be sold by a direct attack to the heart of the 
business. Some men insist on talking about everything under 
the sun but business, and when the poor, weary salesman is 
ready to give up in despair he casually mentions the object 
of his call. This is particularly true with the Latin races and 

38 



The Henderson Method of Public Speaking 

is prevalent through our own southern states. These are the 
situations that test the true selling metal. Sometimes it is 
necessary to take luncheon or dinner with your customer. A 
little light conversation, a discussion of politics or some topic 
of the day, will interest him. You must be able to do it. You 
must talk business when he wants to, not when you want to. 

Recently a man, whose ability as a salesman is proven by 
the salary he draws, dropped into my office and related an 
interesting incident that shows the type of man a salesman 
many times encounters. Having called on a prospective cus- 
tomer twice, and finding him unwilling to talk business, he 
stopped into the office and asked him to come out to lunch 
with him. The man was agreeable and they passed a very 
pleasant hour without mentioning business. The next day the 
man called up and asked him to come to dinner with him at 
his home. Again the time was passed pleasantly without men- 
tion of a sale. A week later the man called the salesman again 
and asked him to come to luncheon with him. When the meal 
was almost over, the customer said : "Oh, by the way, I want 
to give you a little order. I had almost forgotten it in listen- 
ing to your interesting story." The good salesmanship in this 
case lay in waiting until the man was ready to talk business ; 
in making him believe that you thoroughly enjoyed his com- 
pany; in meeting him on a footing of equality. 

ANALYZE YOUR MAN 

The good salesman must analyze and read his man just as 
the successful public speaker must read his audience. He 
must form a quick estimate of his character and gauge his 
conversation accordingly. But more than this, he must have 
absolute confidence in his line and be sufficiently enthusiastic 
as to impart some of this enthusiasm to the prospective cus- 
tomer. He must believe deep in his own heart that his prod- 
uct will do the things he says about it. His entire selling talk 
and his action must bespeak sincerity and self-confidence. 

The successful salesman must be a character reader, a diplo- 
mat, an expert in his line, a man capable of meeting any 
emergency, thinking quickly and accurately and possessed of 
sympathy, sincerity and ready speech. 

39 



The Henderson Method of Public Speaking 

LESSON X. 
"Recapitulation" 



"Pleasure is a shadow; wealth is a vanity, and power 
a pageant; but knowledge is ecstatic in enjoyment, 
perennial in fame, unlimited in space, and infinite in 
duration." 

— De Witt Clinton. 



In concluding this course of lessons, I want to devote a 
little space to a short summary of what you should have ac- 
complished and the mention of a few books and periodicals 
that should be in the library of every man who speaks publicly. 

If you have conscientiously followed my instructions 
through the nine preceding lessons, you are now possessed of 
the technical equipment for making a speech. Experience is 
your final requisite, and that only time and opportunity can 
give you. I have told you how to enlarge your vocabulary ; how 
to train your voice by diaphragmatic breathing and other exer- 
cises. I have told you something of natural gesture; how to 
arrange an extemporaneous speech and deliver it ; and how to 
go about making special speeches. I have touched upon gram- 
matical errors in speech, types of sentences and their effect, 
figures of speech and salesmanship. I have, in a word, en- 
deavored to give you the skeleton structure, upon which to 
build your career as public speaker, salesman or after dinner 
speaker. The degree of success that is yours, rests with you, 
and you alone. 

BOOKS AND PERIODICALS 

There are a few books, written by masters of the art of 
speaking in public, that are an asset to any man desirous of 
acquiring clear and ready speech. Covering the domain of the 
voice particularly is " Public Speaking," by E. D. Shurter — 
Allyn & Bacon, Boston and Chicago. A book that will prove 
of the greatest assistance to you in learning the technique of 
gesture is "The Essentials of Effective Gesture," by Joseph 
A. Mosher — Macmillan Company, New York. "The Art of 

40 



The Henderson Method of Public Speaking 

Extempore Speaking," by M. Bautin — McDevitt, Wilson's 
Inc., New York — is a masterly work that will do more toward 
helping you to become a successful extemporaneous speaker 
than any other book of my acquaintance, and I have in my 
library, practically every book written on the subject of public 
speaking for the past twenty-five years. 

As to periodicals, take one that gives a summary of current 
events and also one devoted to the special interests of your 
business or profession. 

READ AND STUDY 

You must read and study continually, striving eternally to 
keep abreast of the times. Many a man wearing an M. A., 
B. S., or LL. B. after his name is a conversational nonentity, 
simply because on leaving college with his degree neatly 
rolled up and tied with a ribbon, figuratively speaking, he left 
that degree rolled up and ceased to study and read, secure in 
the delusion that he was an educated and culture/! gentleman. 
His education stopped the day he left the university. 

KEEP PACE WITH THE WORLD 

The successful speaker, worker, or the successful man or 
woman in any line of endeavor, must read and study always. 
His knowledge must be up-to-date, or it is either incomplete 
or entirely erroneous. The world is progressing; everything 
is being improved upon. Whether it is the ships of the air, 
the giant machinery of modern industry, or only the manufac- 
ture of mouse-traps, the thing is better today than it was yes- 
terday. It will probably be better tomorrow than it is today. 
Things and persons, either progress or retrogress. You must 
keep pace with the times, or modern life will drop you by the 
wayside as deadwood. There is no such thing as standing 
still. You either improve and advance or you deteriorate. 
Don't get into a rut ! 

The public speaker must be in touch with the world's af- 
fairs. It helps him to read his audience by being able to form 
some idea of what is in their minds, what they would like to 
hear and what they think about events that are transpiring. 
The salesman is in the same position. He must know, not 
only his line, but he must be able to converse with his customer 

41 



The Henderson Method of Public Speaking 

for a few moments, on the topic most intersting at that time. 
The clergyman, more than all, must be acquainted with the 
world's progress, or he will soon be condemned by his con- 
gregation as a moss-back, and relegated to the scrap-heap. In 
order to interest his people he must preach religion into their 
daily life, making it a part of them, not something to take, in 
periodical, Sunday doses, and then forget as soon as possible. 
There is no walk in life from highest to lowest, where knowl- 
edge of current happenings is not a real asset to men and 
women. 

THINK 

Read, study, THINK and you will begin to live with an en- 
thusiasm and vigor you have never known before. I say 
think in bold face type. I would like to write it in 
letters six feet high, if I thought it would impress you more. 
That little word is the secret of all success. It is the men who 
think who progress and accomplish great things. All the read- 
ing; all the studying; all the efforts you make toward your 
personal improvement will be utterly useless, unless you digest 
them with thought. Throughout these lessons, I have tried 
to impress the fact that you must THINK. Unless you do, 
the work you have done will not be of much benefit. You 
may be able to make a more or less interesting speech; you 
may even be known as a "good talker" ; but you will always 
be mechanical, lacking in spontaneity and enthusiasm. Learn 
early in the game to think logically and with precision and 
use this apparatus as the crucible into which you put your 
knowledge gained by reading, study and experience, to draw 
from it, thoughts and ideals of striking originality. 



42 



The Henderson Method of Public Speaking 

Memorize this poem by Berton Braley, which so clearly 
typifies the importance of 'The Thinker." 

THE THINKER 
Back of the beating hammer, 

By which the steel is wrought, 
Back of the workshop's clamor 

Thy seeker may find the THOUGHT, 
The thought that is ever MASTER 

Of iron and steam and steel, 
That rises above disaster 

And tramples it under heel. 

The drudge may fret and tinker 

Or labor with lusty blows, 
But back of him stands the THINKER, 

The clear-eyed man who knows ; 
For into each plow or sabre, 

Each piece and part and whole, 
Must go the brains of labor, 

Which give the work a soul. 

Back of the motors humming, 

Back of the bells that sing 
Back of the hammer's drumming, 

Back of the cranes that swing, 
There is the eye which scans them, 

Watching through stress and strain, 
There is the Mind which plans them — 

Back of the Brawn, the Brain. 

Might of the roaring boiler, 

Force of the engine's thrust, 
Strength of the sweating toiler, 

Greatly in these we trust. 
Back of them stands the schemer, 

The Thinker who drives things through, 
Back of the job, the Dreamer, 

Who's making the dream come true. 

— Berton Braley. 
(Reprinted from "The American Machinist.") 
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